Headgear with notch

ABSTRACT

Headgear, such as a hat, cap or visor, with notches, cut-outs or spaces provided in the lower edge or band area above the ears. The notches or spaces may be mirror images on either side of the headgear, although the number, placement, and configurations of the notches or spaces may vary. The notches or spaces are configured to allow eyewear to be worn normally without interference with the eyewear earpieces, or any eyewear keeper devices that may be attached to the earpieces, but also without substantially impacting the integrity and functionality of the headgear.

This application claims benefit of and priority to U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 62/193,115, filed Jul. 16, 2015, by Nathan Sprague, andis entitled to that filing date for priority. The specification, figuresand complete disclosure of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/193,115are incorporated herein in their entireties by specific reference forall purposes.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates general to headgear. More specifically, thepresent invention relates to sports caps, hats and visors with notchesor cut-outs above the ears to accommodate the use of glasses,sunglasses, and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Headgear of various types are well known in the prior art, includingcaps or hats with visors that protect the user's eyes from the sun orthe elements. Such caps are commonly used in sports, such as baseball,and possess a skull portion or crown that covers the head, with a billor visor outwardly extending from the front. An alternative form is asimple visor outwardly extending from a band encircling the head withouta skull portion (and in this form the entire headgear is often referredto as a “visor”).

Many people who wear headgear such as sports caps and visors also weareyewear, such as, but not limited to, glasses and sunglasses at the sametime. This often causes problems as the hat or cap band above the earinterferes with the earpieces of the eyewear. In particular, when a capor visor is worn low to shield the user's eyes from the sun, the band orbottom portion of the crown often comes into contact with the area wherethe top part of the ear attaches to the head, and thus into contact withthe earpieces of any eyewear. The user must either tuck the tips of theearpieces under the band or bottom portion of the crown, or wear thetips of the earpieces on the outside of the band or bottom portion ofthe crown. Either option creates extreme pressure on the wearer's skullor ears, resulting in discomfort and headaches. The problem isexacerbated when the wearer uses a keeper device or strap whichtypically is attached to the tips of the earpieces or near the tips. Inaddition, the eyewear often becomes misaligned, or is not held securelyin place over the ears. Further, if the user's cranium is not of theproper size for the cap or visor (e.g., the cranium is smaller thanaverage), the wearer cannot pull the cap or visor down fully due to theinterference of the fabric in the lower portion of the crown and eararea.

Accordingly, what is needed is headgear with which eyewear can becomfortably and securely worn.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In various embodiments, the present invention comprises headgear, suchas a hat, cap or visor, and including, but not limited to, abaseball-style hat or cap or visor, with a forwardly extending bill (orvisor), with notches, cut-outs or spaces provided in the lower edge orband area above the ears. The notches or spaces may be mirror images oneither side of the headgear, although the number, placement, andconfigurations of the notches or spaces may vary. The notches or spacesare configured to allow eyewear to be worn normally without interferencewith the eyewear earpieces, or any eyewear keeper devices that may beattached to the earpieces, but also without substantially impacting theintegrity and functionality of the headgear.

In several embodiments, the notches or spaces are distinct designelements cut within the band or lower part of the hat, cap or visor. Thenotches or spaces also are configured to allow the user to pull thefront of the hat, cap or visor down fully to take advantage of thesun-blocking properties of the headgear without interfering with theeyewear.

The notches or spaces may be in various configurations. In oneembodiment, the notch is elongated, with the deepest portion of thenotch near the back, or beyond the midpoint of the notch as measuredfrom the front. The front edge of the notch may start near the cornerwhere the bill of the headgear is attached, and it extends backward inan upward direction sufficiently as needed to avoid interfering with theearpieces of the eyewear. In the embodiment, the front edge is straightor substantially straight for some or all of its length, and meets theback edge at a vertex, which may be sharp or rounded. The back edge alsomay be straight or substantially straight for some or all of its length.

The angle at which the front edge meets the back edge at the vertex mayvary. In several embodiments, the angle is from approximately 70 degreesto approximately 165 degrees, and more preferably from approximately 90degrees to approximately 135 degrees.

In several alternative embodiments, the notches or spaces may be arcuateor curved, in whole or in part. The notches or spaces may be symmetricor asymmetric (i.e., with an apex not centered between the front pointof the notch or space and the back point of the notch or space). Thenotch or space can be any desired depth (i.e., deep, moderate, shallowor low). A low profile arcuate or curved version of the notches orspaces may be provided.

In several further embodiments, where the headgear rides higher on thehead, or the earpieces have a lower profile, the notches or spaces maybe relatively shallow or lower profile. The front edge of the notch orspace begins at approximately the same point as the embodimentsdiscussed above, and rises in a smooth curve to a vertex where it meetsthe back edge. In this embodiment, the back edge is substantiallyshorter and more sharply angled that the front edge, and the vertex isclose to the back of the notch or space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a right side view of a visor with an angled notch inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a left side view of the visor of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows the visor of FIG. 1 being used with eyewear.

FIG. 4 shows a right side view of a cap with an angled notch inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a left side view of the cap of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 shows the cap of FIG. 4 being used with eyewear.

FIG. 7 shows a right side view of a visor with an arcuate notch inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a left side view of the visor of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows the visor of FIG. 7 being used with eyewear.

FIG. 10 shows a right side view of a cap with an arcuate notch inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 shows a left side view of the cap of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 shows the cap of FIG. 10 being used with eyewear.

FIG. 13 shows a right side view of a visor with a low profile anglednotch in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 shows a left side view of the visor of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 shows the visor of FIG. 13 being used with eyewear.

FIG. 16 shows a right side view of a cap with a low profile angled notchin accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 shows a left side view of the cap of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 shows the cap of FIG. 16 being used with eyewear.

FIG. 19 shows a right side view of a visor with a low profile arcuatenotch in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 shows a left side view of the visor of FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 shows the visor of FIG. 19 being used with eyewear.

FIG. 22 shows a right side view of a cap with a low profile arcuatenotch in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 shows a left side view of the cap of FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 shows the cap of FIG. 22 being used with eyewear.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

In various embodiments, the present invention comprises headgear, suchas a hat, cap or visor, and including, but not limited to, abaseball-style hat or cap or visor 2, with a forwardly extending bill(or visor) 6, with notches, cut-outs or spaces 10 provided in the loweredge or band area 8 above the ears. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, thenotches or spaces 10 may be mirror images on either side of theheadgear, although the number, placement, and configurations of thenotches or spaces may vary. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 6, the notches orspaces 10 are configured to allow eyewear to be worn normally withoutinterference with the eyewear earpieces 20, or any eyewear keeperdevices that may be attached to the earpieces, but also withoutsubstantially impacting the integrity and functionality of the headgear.

In several embodiments, the notches or spaces are distinct designelements cut within the band or lower part of the hat, cap or visor. Thenotches or spaces also are configured to allow the user to pull thefront of the hat, cap or visor down fully to take advantage of thesun-blocking properties of the headgear without interfering with theeyewear.

The notches or spaces may be in various configurations. In oneembodiment, as seen in FIGS. 1-6, the notch is elongated, with thedeepest portion 12 of the notch near the back, or beyond the midpoint ofthe notch as measured from the front. The front edge 14 of the notch maystart near the corner where the bill 6 of the headgear is attached, andit extends backward in an upward direction sufficiently as needed toavoid interfering with the earpieces of the eyewear. In the embodiment,the front edge 14 is straight or substantially straight for some or allof its length, and meets the back edge 16 at a vertex 18, which may besharp or rounded. The back edge also may be straight or substantiallystraight for some or all of its length. As seen in FIGS. 1-5, the frontedge may be parallel, or substantially parallel, to the bottom edge ofthe bill near the corner where the bill of the headgear is attached.

The angle at which the front edge meets the back edge at the vertex 18may vary. In several embodiments, the angle is from approximately 70degrees to approximately 165 degrees, and more preferably fromapproximately 90 degrees to approximately 135 degrees.

In several alternative embodiments, the notches or spaces 10 may bearcuate or curved, in whole or in part, as seen in FIGS. 7-12. Thenotches or spaces may be symmetric or asymmetric (i.e., with an apex 30not centered between the front point 32 of the notch or space and theback point 34 of the notch or space). The notch or space can be anydesired depth (i.e., deep, moderate, shallow or low). A low profilearcuate or curved version of the notches or spaces is seen in FIG.19-24.

In several further embodiments, where the headgear rides higher on thehead, or the earpieces have a lower profile, the notches or spaces maybe relatively shallow or lower profile, as seen in FIGS. 13-18. Thefront edge of the notch or space begins at approximately the same pointas the embodiments discussed above, and rises in a smooth curve to avertex where it meets the back edge. In this embodiment, the back edgeis substantially shorter and more sharply angled that the front edge,and the vertex is close to the back of the notch or space.

Thus, it should be understood that the embodiments and examplesdescribed herein have been chosen and described in order to bestillustrate the principles of the invention and its practicalapplications to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to bestutilize the invention in various embodiments and with variousmodifications as are suited for particular uses contemplated. Eventhough specific embodiments of this invention have been described, theyare not to be taken as exhaustive. There are several variations thatwill be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. An item of apparel, comprising: a headgear with aright side, a left side, and a crown or band with a lower edge; a pairof notches in the lower edge, a first notch on the right side and asecond notch on the left side.
 2. The item of apparel of claim 1,wherein said headgear comprises a bill extending from a front of theheadgear.
 3. The item of apparel of claim 1, wherein said first notchand second notch are positioned midway down the respective right andleft sides.
 4. The item of apparel of claim 1, wherein said headgearcomprise one of a hat, cap or visor.
 5. The item of apparel of claim 1,wherein each of said pair of notches comprises a front edge and a backedge, wherein the front edge and back edge met at an angle at a vertex.6. The item of apparel of claim 5, wherein the vertex angle is fromapproximately 70 degrees to approximately 165 degrees.
 7. The item ofapparel of claim 5, wherein the vertex angle is from approximately 90degrees to approximately 135 degrees.
 8. The item of apparel of claim 5,wherein the vertex is located medially in the notch.
 9. The item ofapparel of claim 5, wherein the vertex is proximate a back of the notch.10. The item of apparel of claim 1, wherein said pair of notches areconfigured to accommodate a set of eyewear earpieces when the headgearand eyewear are worn by a user.
 11. The item of apparel of claim 1,wherein each of said pair of notches comprises an arc with an apex. 12.The item of apparel of claim 11, wherein the apex is located medially inthe notch.
 13. The item of apparel of claim 11, wherein the apex isproximate a back of the notch.
 14. A cap, comprising: a crown with afront side, back side, right side, and left side; a bill extending fromthe front side of the crown; a band extending circumferentially aroundthe lower edges of the front, back, right and left sides of the crown;and a pair of notches in the band, a first notch in the right side, anda second notch in the left side.
 15. The cap of claim 14, wherein saidpair of notches are configured to accommodate a set of eyewear earpieceswhen the cap and eyewear are worn by a user.
 16. A visor, comprising: aband with a front side, back side, right side, and left side; a billextending from the front side of the band; and a pair of notches in theband, a first notch in the right side, and a second notch in the leftside.
 17. The visor of claim 16, wherein said pair of notches areconfigured to accommodate a set of eyewear earpieces when the visor andeyewear are worn by a user.